The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this limited edition beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked Porter is produced in limited "vintages" each year on November 1 and unlike most beers, may be aged in the bottle much like fine wine.

Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by Sephiroth:

Thanks to bOldfacelies for the bottle. 2005 vintage. Pours with decent head, minimal lacing. The beer appears to be black, but upon close inspection, is really dark brown. Aroma of smoky malts, beef jerky comes to mind.

The smoke is quite apparent, but there is some malt in the background. At first, there is smoke, then just as the porter peaks its head around the corner, the smoke caves its head in with a bat. This beer actually reminds me of Lagavulin. Very smooth mouthfeel. The smoke diminishes as the beer warms, allowing the porter to come through. Good drinkability, this would be perfect to have while grilling, and I would have another one as I ate whatever it was I grilled.

More User Reviews:

2004 bottle,pours and almost ink blank but I did see some ruby near the bottem of my glass with a thin mocha head,wow what aromas going on smoked meats,unsweetened chocolate and some earth what combination.Big and bold tasting as expected big dose of alder smoke and unsweeteded chocolate with a dry earthy/nutty finish.Wow complex and big my first stab at this leaves me quite impressed will get more in the future.

Smell  The aroma fits the bill. Classic sherry and roasted malt flavors with smoke undertones. Theres also some typical coffee and molasses.

Taste  This is very good. The smoke taste is light; not overpowering. The porter flavors ring loud and true. The sherry steps back a bit from the nose, leaving a wonderful coffee-infused dark malt base. The finish is sweet, but not too sweet, with molasses, some maple, and dark cherries.

Mouthfeel  Smooth and just full-bodied. This porter is creamy and flat.

Drinkability  This is very refreshing and went down quite well. I had the 2001 vintage which is actually 6.5% ABV. Ive sampled just about all of the Alaskan styles, and this is thus far my favorite.

Update  Had a 2004 vintage in 2004 (imagine that). I picked up a lot more of the smoked flavor and enjoyed the easy-drinking nature of this beer. I still rated the Stone a tad higher for its complexity, but man oh man if there ever was a session smoked beer this is it.

Thick black body with a chunky brown head. Appearance is practically perfect. Head is lasting and wonderfully aromatic. Smoke, smoke, and smoke! Chocolate, coffee, caramel, scotch, peat, and a whole wheel barrow load of other great stuff can be found in this beauty. I am thrilled. This is one of the best porters Ive ever held in my hand and I havent even tasted it yet.

Mouthfeel is nearly full, charcoaly, poking at times but nearly flawless.

Taste is peat and mesquite, caramel and chocolate, bittersweet and acidic grains in the finish. Spicy, delicious, smoky as can be. Just great.

Drinkability is very high. There isnt an overwhelming meatiness that I find in some smoked beers. This one is just mellow and refreshing. Damn drinkable.

A: A very dark brown beer with a garnet hue and good clarity. It pours with two fingers of rocky to creamy light brown bubbles. It has good head retention, fading after a minute to a thin layer of bubbles that leave a light lacing on the glass.

S: A moderate aroma of dark malt and smoke. There are light notes of dark roast and coffee with a hint of chocolate.

T: A medium strong dark malt flavor with a medium amount of smoke flavor. There are some sharp roast malt flavors with hints of dark fruit and toffee with some . The beer has a moderate malt sweetness and hops bitterness making for a balance the is about even. The finish is medium with an aftertaste of coffee and smoke.

M: A creamy, medium bodied beer with a medium-strong level of carbonation.

O: A solid smoked porter with a some great dark malt and sharp roast flavors.

Opaque black body, creamy off white head with no stick. Smells of earth, smoke, cheese. Malt up front followed closely by a smoke and smoked gouda character, goes down smooth with really no hops or bitterness to speak of. Slight roasted malt tinge but not much. Nice mouthfeel, though a little weak. An interesting and enjoyable beer. Paired well with some Stilton and beef stew. The smoke is robust and interesting but very well balanced. Absolutely one of the better smoked beers in memory. Much more balanced than many others.

Looks a lovely obsidian. Smells smoked, certainly, but the smoke does not overpower the robust roasted malts. Tastes quite good. Easy on the tongue initially, the coffee-ness of the malts holds court. Then it transitions seamlessly into a flavorful smoke undercurrent. The smokiness shows it's full form in the back end and lingers afterward. The smoke in this is quite delicious, though, as opposed to a distracting novelty.

This is the darkest brown beer we've ever come across, so dark you may as well call it black. Good cling from the tan head. A heavy, but not overbearing, waft of smokiness mingles with the roasted, charcoal-like malt; hint of black currant and burnt sugar in the nose. Lush, creamy smoothness flaunts its full body. Solid roasted grain flavor is followed by a smokiness that compliments it very well. Hop bitterness and flavor hold back to let the smokiness shine, yet still help to balance. Smoke drops a slight puckering, charred-wood character middle to end that leads the beer into its dry finish.

A classic--you can't call yourself a beer geek unless this beer has touched your lips. If you are into all things smoke or a lover of Porters, it's a must try. The brewers suggest drinking it now or aging it for several years; we prefer drinking it fresh.

Have had this sample of the 2006 vintage ASP in my possession for over 3 years now... For at least the past 2.5 years, it has been in the fridge, but before that was being kept at above cellar temps, as high as 85oF but usually in the mid-70s for say, 4-6 months. Major demerits for me. Pours just shy of pitch black in my snifter and is topped by a permanent creamy brown head that fades somewhat but always retains a cover and very thick, clingy, just-a-bit-too-wet-and-thick-to-properly-lace collar (it sort of melts down the side of the glass as the beer is consumed.) Big, sweet, rich, robust notes of leather, dark fruit, carob, coffee-soaked bubblegum, Jolt cola, with all of these wrapped in a sturdy blanket of smoke and campfire goodness. Some meaty, salty notes as well. Condensed maple syrup. The faintest tang of citrus struggles to escape, but is coated in the heavy tar and treacle notes that anchor this beer as close to the earth as possible. The beer is much less intense on the palate than I expected based on the nose; the nose is heavy, almost overbearing, thick and virtually like liquid in the nostrils--you feel it filling your nose, like drowning. But the flavor, while big and rich, is not nearly as heavy or imposing as I thought it would be. All the hallmarks of a robust porter, with subtle spikes of cola, leather, maduro cigar/tobacco, black cherries, and a clean woodsy note, distinct from the also present smokiness. Fresh balsa. Burning sea driftwood (think salty smoke.) The finish is gentle and kind--a comforting level of smoke that sits so well in the mix of this very tasty beer. Never gets to coffee in the flavor, despite what one might expect for the style. Instead, it's bark and billows. As it warms, the alcohol speaks up a bit on the nose, sharpening some of the acridity and coaxing out the edginess of the citrus hop notes, and on the palate evoking notes of dark rum. I am not disappointed by this beer--let me be clear. But it is not as complex as I expected. Sort of the hype syndrome--where you hear or read how great a movie (or beer) is and then when you see (drink) it, you can't be completely objective and rate it lower than if you'd just waltzed into the theater (or bar) not knowing what to expect. Can't help but think that if I just stumbled across this without knowing from day one (and every day since, as it's been in my possession for over 3 years--calling to me as I fought temptation) that it was the holy grail of smoked porters, that I'd have flipped shit over how awesome it was. Instead I enjoy it as a great beer that is pleasing, but is not rousing my inherent beer geek fanaticism. This is not a proclamation of overratedness. Far from it. This is great beer that I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to try. Thanks to Jabocu for the trade/sample (all those years ago!)

Another pitch black brew...never a bad thing. Light tan head that started an inch thick and reduced to a nice layer. A solid miniscus of bubbles sticks to the glass around the edge. I'm having this one just slightly chilled to really let the smoke comes out.

Oak smoke is immediately noticable in the nose. Smells like clothes the day after sitting around a fire the night before. This is really all I pick up. Maybe a touch of floral or sweet essence underneath. Nicely done for the style. Most smoke beers use too much smoked malts, but this one has the perfect balance of smoke with some sweetness and a bit of bitterness. Nicely done.

Taste is smoke dominated, again with some oaky flavors. Not really any char to this which is nice. A bit of biscuit and the lightest touch of sweetness, in the form of bittersweet chocolate. Even though the alcohol isn't high I seem to pick up a bit of alcohol "twang" on the tongue. Some people mention rum, which is how this could be interpreted.

Mouthfeel is solid. Coats well and the smoke flavor hangs around for a while. Not overly full, but nice nonetheless.

Drinkability is a highlight of this one. A unique well done smoke flavor which isn't over loaded and a smooth body makes this one go down easy.

22 oz bottle, 2007 vintage. Pours a dark brown with a creamy tan head that goes to a thin film and laces the glass.

The aroma is chocolate malts with quite a bit of liquid smoke.

The flavor is sweet chocolate malts up front followed by liquid smoke and some BBQ. The finish has a good amount of bitterness (slightly plasticy). The mouthfeel is medium bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, not very complex (chocolate and smoke), but it's fun. The aftertaste was a bit off, otherwise this would be higher.

Dark and chocolatey rootbeer brown with a thick and creamy khaki/chocolate head that left too quickly, leaving only a ring. Nice dark smokey scents, not too intensely smokey-no campfire going on here. Very creamy feel, but not heavy, medium bodied. Good porter, but kinda seems more like a stout... Burnt toast, dark coffee, roasty yumminess. Good and easy drinker. Enjoyed this one!
Thanks Pope!!!

Smell: Woody charcoal smokiness, earthy with a layer of sweetness of malt in the aroma.

Taste: There is a certain smoke flavour from start to finish, not over whelming but not complacent either. Layered thickly the smoke wraps itself around the malt tightly, malt gives some sweetness as well as a complementing flavour of a level charcoal roasted grain. Hint of fruitiness in the back, prune … black currant? Alcohol becomes a warming factor half way through the bottle as the finish come slightly sweet.

Mouthfeel: More creaminess than anything else, smoothness is there as well but the creamy mouth feel is where it is at. Full bodied of a sturdy foundation of malt.

Drinkability & Notes: Not as legendary as so many of the aficionados said it was. A sound porter as a whole with a thickly line smoky backing, smoked cheese and meat would be the obvious pairing … why not try a contrast pairing of a grilled venison burger topped with soft pungent goat cheese and lime accented mayo … did me just fine.

2004 vintage. Very dark brown with some garnet highlights on the edges. Brown head. Light lace. Dark chocolate, vanilla, and smoke. Amazing. The smoke is not the main player here. The flavor is like sex in a glass. Some smoke, chocolate, vanilla, ash, marshmallow, and lightly bitter. Rich on the palate. Bamberg aint got shit on this.

At long last, I got to try this American classic thanks to trades with BigLove and waldowin. 2005 edition in a 22 oz bottle pours an ebony black body with a two finger, cocoa brown head that retains very well. Profuse patchy lace adorns the English pint glass.

Aroma is superb. There is a charred wood note from burnt campfire logs, smoked salmon aromas, and some subdued notes of chocolate and coffee. Nice!

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, thinning a bit as it reaches room temperature. Moderate carbonation works well.

Taste has lots of smoked alder wood and smoked salmon flavors. Coffee and chocolate are prominent enough to let you know that this is a quality porter. Grassy and earthy hops bitterness adds excellent balance. Smoked almonds add a nice touch.

Wood smoked malts produce an excellent beer when executed as well as this one. Similar to the Bamberg rauchbiers, but the smoky note here produces smoked salmon characteristics, as opposed to the barbequed meat noted in the German rauchbiers. The smokiness is also a bit more retrained here, resulting in a very good drinkability. Definitely, the class of American smoked beers and worthy of its reputation.

Serving info: 22 ounce bomber 2007 edition, thanks Pebkac for another fine gift. Pours dark mahogany, lovely tiny bubble, creamy dark tan head and then spotty lace. The nose here is pleasantly woody, smoky and of dark malts. Smooth, smooth mouthfeel, luxurious and fine as it crosses the tongue. Notes of the expected smoke, but its subtle and not of the "hit over the head variety". Also, dark malts, vanilla, malted milk, quite yummy stuff. Great balance and again smoothness, full flavor and well crafted porter porter, too bad this is not widely available in my area....Lived up to the hype.